23/02/2026
We will help you to get covering permit to drive in Sri Lanka, Supreme Court up hail your right to drive in Sri Lanka as a foreigner.
Last week, the Court of Appeal of Sri Lanka intervened and issued its decree on the question of whether foreign tourists can lawfully drive tuk-tuks in Sri Lanka together using international driving permits, along with cover permits issued under Sri Lankan law.
Through C.A. (Writ) 1154/25, Justice Dhammika Gamepola and Justice Adithya Patabandige granted interim orders that preserved the existing legal framework and restored the position to before the reports on or about 20th November 2025. It was during this time that media reports suggested that foreign visitors may no longer be able to drive tuk-tuks using their international driving permits.
Sri Lanka is a party to the 1949 Geneva Convention on Road Traffic. Under the Convention, member states reciprocally recognize each other’s driving permits to ensure uniform and predictable cross-border mobility. The Convention was given effect under domestic law through Gazette No. 11,603 of 1958 under the Motor Car (Convention) Ordinance. This regulation remains valid and in force to the present day.
Under this framework, a foreign visitor who holds a valid international driving permit may lawfully drive in Sri Lanka after obtaining a local covering permit from the Department of Motor Traffic of the Automobile Association of Ceylon. For decades, tourists have driven tuk-tuks under this regime without controversy, and many businesses and livelihoods have been structured around this legal regime.
The Court held that a serious question of public law arose on whether the impugned decision was made within the statutory authority or contrary to the government framework. The court also held that until a final determination is reached, an interim order to restore the status quo shall be granted to mitigate any adverse effects on existing permits and business operations.
